SB 726 — An Act amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in open meetings, further providing for use of equipment during meetings and for General Assembly meetings covered.

PRINTER'S NO.   741

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 726
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY STEFANO, PHILLIPS-HILL, PENNYCUICK, COSTA,
        KEARNEY, COLLETT, TARTAGLIONE, COMITTA, MILLER, HAYWOOD AND
        BROWN, MAY 5, 2025

     REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 5, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 65 (Public Officers) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in open meetings, further providing
 3      for use of equipment during meetings and for General Assembly
 4      meetings covered.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.    Sections 711(b) and 712 of Title 65 of the
 8   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
 9   § 711.   Use of equipment during meetings.
10      * * *
11      (b)   Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives.--[The]
12   Except as provided under section 712(b) (relating to General
13   Assembly meetings covered), the Senate and House of
14   Representatives may adopt rules governing the recording or
15   broadcast of their sessions and meetings and hearings of
16   committees.
17   § 712.   General Assembly meetings covered.
18      (a)   Meetings.--Notwithstanding any other provision, for the
 1   purpose of this chapter, meetings of the General Assembly which
 2   are covered are as follows: all meetings of committees where
 3   bills are considered, all hearings where testimony is taken and
 4   all sessions of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Not
 5   included in the intent of this chapter are caucuses or meetings
 6   of any ethics committee created pursuant to the Rules of the
 7   Senate or the House of Representatives.
 8      (b)   Recording and streaming.--The Senate and the House of
 9   Representatives shall record and post all meetings of committees
10   and hearings covered under subsection (a) on the General
11   Assembly's publicly accessible Internet website. When
12   technically possible, the meetings of committees and hearings
13   shall be available by live stream video.
14      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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